====== Posting Photo's in a Forum Post ======
There are several ways to insert a photo into a forum post.  You can use the **Attachment** feature to upload a photo to the forum and use the **file** command to display it in the post.  Another way is too use a Media Gallery Tag to display a photo in the forum post.  The photo has to exist in one of your albums or for that mater any album on the site.  And the last way is by posting a URL link to a photo that is posted somewhere else on the internet.  I will cover each way in this topic.

<note tip>**Media Gallery Tags** and **External Links** can also be used anywhere the **Advanced Editor** exists, if you see the Icons for Media Gallery Tags or External Link are there they work the same way.</note>
===== Attachment Upload =====
You can add attachments to a forum post, and these can be photo's from your own computer.  To get photo's to show in a post you need to use the **File** tag in the post.\\ 
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The file tag can have two forms:\\ 
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**[file]n[/file]**\\ 
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This form will show the photo in the post but when you click on the photo it will show as full size in a new window.\\ 
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**[file lightbox]n[/file]**\\ 
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This form is nicer in that when you click the photo a lightbox opens with the full size photo and can be easily closed with a close button.  The **n** is the number of the attachment or photo you uploaded.


===== Media Gallery Tag =====
If you have already uploaded photo's to your Album you can post a photo in a forum post with this technique. First select the **MediaGallery Icon** {{:forum_help:mediagallery_icon.png?nolink&|Media Gallery Icon}}in the Editor Toolbar. Next you will see the selection window like this.\\ 

{{ :forum_help:mediagalleryselection.jpg?nolink&700 |Selection Window}}\\

You select the Album from the pull down list, all albums in the system are shown, we selected **One of my Albums**. Now select the **media** option and the photo you want to place in the forum post. Next select the photo **Source**, usually use **Display**. Now you can size the photo to easily fit in the forum post, I like 400 or less for width. Only one dimension is needed since the other will be done proportional to the one selected. Other options are **Alignment**, usually start left then right with a second photo. Another option is **Link**, I like **Lightbox**, then select **Link Source**, again use **Display**.  Experiment with these  options, also place a text description of the photo in the **Caption** field. Now press the **Insert** button and the code will look something like this:\\ 

{{ :forum_help:entry_in_post.jpg?nolink& |Entry after you press Insert}} 

Other text will wrap around the photo if you place it left or right, experiment to see what you can do.
 

===== External URL =====

The last way to post a photo in a forum post is to use a photo storied somewhere else on the internet, like **Photobucket**. This can be done by going to the photo you want and copy the URL for the photo, most sites have a button to do this or go to properties and copy the URL from there. First select the **Image Icon** {{:forum_help:image_icon.png?nolink&|Image Icon}} in the Editor Toolbar. Next you will see the Image Properties box where you can enter the needed info to post the photo.\\ 

{{ :forum_help:external_image.jpg?nolink& |Image Properties Dialog}}

Paste the URL into the appropriate field along with some Alternative Text for the Photo. You can size the photo with the **Width** and **Height** boxes, only one needs to be entered and the other will fill automatically. Use the **Align** box to place the photo in the post. Press **OK** to post the photo.

==== Alternate Link ====
You can also use the photo posted this way as a hyper link to some other place on the internet or to another area of this site. Go to the **Link** tab on the **Image Properties Box**\\ 

{{ :forum_help:alternate_link.jpg?nolink& |Alternate Link Dialog}}

Fill in the URL of the **Link** and also pick a **Target**, I recommend **_blank** which will put the linked page into a **New Window**.